Ribboned Zucchini and Parmesan Salad

Eating out, exploring new restaurants, is not only such a pleasure in itself, but can often inspire dishes to be recreated at home. A few weeks ago I shared a few bites of a starter salad of delicate ribbons of zucchini atop some punchy arugula. Lovely chunks of Parmesan were stuffed between the curls and some deeply flavoured olive oil was drizzled over all. Perfetto.

Since then, there have been few waking moments where that salad hasn't been on my mind. So this week, I've been doing the same, with the addition of fresh lemon juice, Maldon sea salt, and with some warmed Italian flatbread called Piadina. Fresh and simple, it works beautifully as a light lunch, a starter, or even as a late night meal for those working evening hours and facing that dreaded 11pm I-need-a-quick-and-light-meal-and-don't-want-to-dive-into-the-bag-of-tortilla-chips-again moment. Although I must warn, try this salad once, and you'll be dreaming of zucchini ribbons for weeks to come!

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Recipe: Ribboned Zucchini and Parmesan Salad

Serves 2

Time 15 mins

1 zucchini

a few handfuls arugula

Parmesan

2 Tb olive oil

1 Tb lemon juice

sea salt / ground pepper

toasted flatbread

1) Using a mandolin slicer, or a beveled santoku knife, very thinly slice the zucchini the long way into ribbons. If you don't care about presentation, you can also just cut it in half, then thinly slice half-moon circles...a bit easier.

2) Scatter a handful of arugula on a plate, arrange the zucchini ribbons, and use a vegetable peeler to slice Parmesan curls for over top. 

3) Drizzle on some olive oil and squeeze a bit of lemon juice. Salt and pepper, and serve with warmed flatbread.

Enjoy.
- Jo